AP ENGLISH LANGUAGE GUIDE FOR SUPERSTARS

STRATEGIES FOR WRITING THE RHETORICAL ANALYSIS ESSAY

Introduction

Great introductions include the elements of the rhetorical situation:

Title (or genre) - What is the type of text?

Author - Who?
Audience - To whom?
Context - When and/or where?
Purpose - Why?
Message - What is the central idea?
Thesis listing rhetorical choices - How?

Great introductions are concise (3-5 sentences).

Great introductions do at least one of the following:

Reference the broader context

Incorporate style
Include a striking statement

Thesis Statement

There are two types of thesis statements:

Device-Driven Thesis Statements Idea-Driven Thesis Statements

A sentence that includes the rhetorical devices that A sentence that includes the ideas or strategies that
will be analyzed in the essay. This type of thesis states will be analyzed in the essay. This type of thesis states
what the writer uses in the passage. what the writer does in the passage.

Example: Albright strengthens the power of her speech Example: By inspiring the graduates to live
through parallel structures, repetition of important courageously and then urging them to challenge
values, and personal experiences with empowered adversity, Albright motivates the young women to
women to persuade them to persevere. break the glass ceiling and achieve equality.

These are two idea-drive structures for constructing effective thesis statements:

 By + strategies (-ing forms) + writer + strong verb + message

Example: By contrasting approaches to life, relaying inspiring stories, and urging graduates to aim high,
Albright conveys to her audience that the noble path in life is one of challenges so that they will persevere
and strive to change the world.

 Writer + strong verb + strategies + in order to + message

Example: Albright contrasts approaches to life, relays inspiring stories, and urges graduates to aim high in
order to convey to her audience that the noble path in life is one of challenges so that they will persevere
and strive to change the world.
Analysis Paragraphs

The analysis paragraphs (2-3 paragraphs) are the core of the essay. In these paragraphs, you need to analyze how the
writer uses devices and/or strategies to convey his or her message to the audience. The analysis paragraphs must
include the following elements:

 Claim (Introduces the idea for analysis and the rhetorical choices)
 Evidence (Paraphrased and quoted ideas from the passage)
 Explanations (Analysis and interpretation of the effects of the rhetorical choices)
 Connections (Explanation of how the evidence and explanations connect with the claim and rhetorical
situation)

Include 2-3 pieces of evidence from the passage per paragraph.

Effective explanations or commentary include the following elements:

 Examine the significance of the evidence (significance)

 Explain how the rhetorical choices relate to the purpose and message (rhetorical situation)
 Support to the line of reasoning (connection to the claim)

Conclusion

Effective conclusions include two components:

 Evaluation of the effectiveness of the strategies

 Consideration of the impact of the message

You may want to consider using one of these strategies to end the essay:

 Summarize the focus of the argument

 Consider the larger significance (context, implications, connections)
 Include a compelling image
 Connect to the introduction (rhetorical situation)